Dredge.



B. BERNARD.

DBEDGE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1913 Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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B. BERNARD. DREDGB. APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1913.

1,1 23 982 Patented Jan. 5 1915.

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OOOOOQOO THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

BENJAMIN BERNARD, 0F SEATTLE, W'ASHINGTON.

DREDGE.

Specification of Letters l atent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed May 16, 1913. Serial No. 766,718.

To all "whom it may concern Be it known that l, BENJAMIN BERNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and tate of Washington. have invented a new and useful Dredge, of which the following is a specification.

By way of explanation it may be stated that when a dredge is operated upon the sea beach or in other localities in which there is a swell, provision must be made for a relative movement between the hull of the dredge and the conveyorsupporting element or ladder, since the hull is afloat and responsive to the swell, whereas the lower end of the ladder rests upon the bottom.

It is one object of this invention to provide novel means for yieldingly assembling the upper portion of the ladder of a dredge with the hull and frame thereof, to the end that the ladder and the hull may have relative vertical movement as the hull' rises and falls upon the waves.

The invention aims further to provide a novel form of bracket for the upper end of the ladder of a dredge.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be made manifest as the description of the invention proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, divers changes in the form and proportions of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in side elevation a portion of a dredge to which the present improvement has been applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan of a portion of the frame of the dredge, showing the upper end of the ladder supported thereon by the device which constitutes the subject-matter of this application. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of one ladder bracket. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the bracket, parts being broken away and sectioned. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the two-part hearing which is yieldingly supported for sliding movement in the bracket. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the bearing. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the springs whereby the bearing is a yieldingly upheld in the bracket. Fig. 8 is a plan of one of the abutment plates, and Fig. 9 is an edge elevation of the abutment plate.

In the drawings there is shown a portion of a dredge comprising a hull 1, supporting a frame 2. Since the hull and the frame may be varied within wide limits, they may be briefly described. Mounted upon the frame 2 are bearings 3 in which is journaled a drive shaft 4, the same carrying a polygonal pulley 5. The ladder is denoted by the numeral 6, the lower end of the ladder resting upon the beach and carrying for rotation pulley 7. About the pulleys 5 and 7 is trained an endless conveyor 8. Brackets are secured to the upper end of the ladder 6,

and, since the brackets are duplicates, but one of them need be described in detail. Each bracket comprises a shank 9 and a transverse laterally extended head 10. A reinforcing web 11 outstands from the shank 9 and is formed integrally with the shank 9 and with the head 10. In the shank 9 there are openings 12 whereby the bracket may be secured to the upper end of the ladder 6. In the head 10 of the bracket there is an arcuate opening l the center of curvature of which, ordinarily, is the lower end of the ladder 6.

Slidable in the opening 1% of the head 10 is a bearing 15 which is a two-part structure, the constituent portions of the bearing being denoted by the numeral 16. The parts 16 of the bearing 15 co'ciperate to form an opening 17 which receives the shaft 1. The opening 17 may be babbitted or bushed, as at 18. In the parts 16 of the bearing are apertures 19 adapted to receive securing elements 20 which may be bolt and nut structures. The securing elements 20 pass through face plates 21 whereby the parts 16 of the bearing are held together. lhe face plates 21 overlap the head 10 of the bracket upon opposite sides of the opening 14: and serve as guides to direct the movement of the bearing 15 in the head. The parts 16 of the bearing 15 are provided with oppositely extended lugs 22.

Threaded studs 23 project from one end of the head 10 of the bracket and pass through a cap 2% which constitutes a closure for one end of the opening 14, there being superposed nuts 25 upon the studs serving to retain the cap in place. Threaded into the cap 24 and into the opposite end of the head 10 of the bracket are screw bolts 26 held adjustably in place by lock nuts 27. The members 26 bear upon abutment plates 28, the same being notched at their ends, as shown at 29, to fit slidably but against lateral movement in the opening 14 of the bracket head. The plates 28 are supplied with lugs 30, cooperating with the lugs 22 of the bearing-forming members 15 to re ceive the ends of helical compression springs 31, the material from which each spring 31 is fashioned preferably being of rectangular cross section.

In practical operation the upper end of the ladder 6 is supported by the brackets, the brackets being yieldably supported upon the bearings 15 through the medium of the springs 31, and the bearings being upheld by the shaft 4. From the foregoing it will be seen that the bearings 15 are permitted to have a limited movement in the brackets, and, as a consequence, relative movement between the hull 1 of the dredge and the ladder 6, due to the action of the waves, is permitted. By rotating the screw bolts 26 the positions of the abutment plates 28 and consequently the degree of compression of the springs 31 may be varied, the screw bolts being held in their adjusted positions by the lock nuts 27.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dredge, a ladder bracket; a bearing slidable therein; abutment members interengaged with the bracket for sliding movement; springs interposed between the abutment members and the bearing; and adjustable elements in the bracket engaging the abutment members.

2. In a dredge, a ladder bracket having an opening; a two-part bearing slidable in the opening; face plates uniting the parts of the bearing and extending beyond the opening to constitute means for directing the movement of the bearing in the opening; and means for supporting the bearing yieldably in the opening.

3. In a dredge, a ladder bracket having an opening; a multi-part bearing slidable in the opening; face plates uniting the parts of the bearing and extending beyond the opening to constitute means for directing the movement of the bearing in the opening; springs engaging opposed portions of the bearing to afford a yieldable support therefor; and means for adjusting the compressive effort of the springs.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have set my signature hereunto in the presence of two witnesses.

B. BERNARD. Witnesses:

TVV..S. VAN VOORHIS, Gno. B. COLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for, in cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0; Patents. Washington, D. G. 

